Peggy sniffled, smiling, "I think I'm hoping too...I'm sorry I took so long...Brookyln was fussy, scared of the nursery, and so I let her explore some to find that the place is safe and happy, and went to feed her a while, and then after putting her to bed, this happened...", wrenching the blue blanket.
"Oh. A bit of mother's intuition, huh?", Steve smiled gently, and Peggy nodded, "Maybe...I know they were too small to really know the gender, but it felt like it was gonna be a boy, you know?".
Steve rubbed her hand, gently fingering the blue blanket, "I wouldn't mind that. Either way, you need rest, and jet lag is taking its time to leave us, and if you are getting pregnant right now, it's best to sleep, hmm?".
Peggy chuckled, "How did I ever get so lucky to have a wonderful, gentle husband?", kissing his cheek, and Steve smiled, "Family looking out for us, I guess...I love you, Peggy Rogers.", leaning in to kiss her on the lips.
They kissed for a minute before Peggy smiled, "I love you too, Steve Rogers.", before a cry for attention grabbed them, and they looked over to see Brookyln on her knees, her hands on the railing.
They got up, and Peggy raised an eyebrow, "You're supposed to be asleep, young lady!", and Brookyln pouted, reaching out a hand, while yawning, and Steve chuckled, "I think she's telling us that she wants to cuddle with us in bed...I guess the nursery is still new to her.", as he picked her up from the crib.
"Yeah; I guess so... honestly, I'm still impressed with how she's been handling everything. I was worried that the flight was going to be too much and that we might have to take a ship back... and with all the troubles on that one since pleasure lines haven't exactly been running for 4 years...", Peggy said.
Steve rubbed her back, "Don't worry, once this war is over with, there will be more cruise ships, and heck, maybe we can take one for our anniversary, or perhaps on Brookyln's birthday once she is older and independent to explore far beyond the horizon.", with a nod.
Peggy chuckled, "Yeah, you're right...Let's get this little lady to dreamland soon, or we'd have a grumpy girl in the morning.", playfully poking Brookyln on the nose, and she babbled, yawning as they then headed down to their bedroom, and with care, the small family went to sleep, cuddling with Brookyln in the middle, finally settled into dreamland with a happy smile on her face.
And indeed, to Steve's intuition, as Peggy reached the point of conception and implantation within her womb, the small fetus/egg of the lost child that was received quickly by the Great Kings, from the ocean as the water lines led to the ocean, came through Peggy's crystal, using energy to phase the lost child into her womb flawlessly and smoothly without even a twitch of discomfort by Peggy.
The remaining waves of surviving sperm of super soldier genes and such came to help heal the broken and incomplete lines of fertilization and fitting right into the DNA codes for compatibility, while fusing the conception and implantation within the lost child, with the energy and the super soldier working together for several hours as it was slow, careful focus.
Finally, after much work, and much love, the lost child became found as it's no longer a fetus, but a real baby in the stage of being 4 months old, yet not obvious nor not having a baby bump as it is secretly hiding, wanting to grow up steadily over the remainder of the Atlantean pregnancy, and to its learning joy, the baby found out that it has a penis, revealing to be a boy.
Brookyln had felt something changing within her mummy while she was sleeping, not scared as it felt strangely safe and familiar, and late within the morning, with the sun gleaming through the blinds into the bedroom, Brookyln woke up, yawning, stretching, realizing that the changing has stopped, and went to lean her head on her mummy's belly, quietly cooing, and she felt a faint warmth touching her, and she blinked before smiling, slowly realizing that her mummy is okay, and that the warm change is not dangerous to make her be worried or try to tell her parents that something is wrong, and decided to not say or do anything about it as it seemed like that new word she learned last week, a ser, no, surprise for her parents, though she is rightly happy for it means more food for Peggy, and more milk for her, though she will have to be careful in letting the breasts get fuller with less feedings for her, as she's growing up.
And so, life went on for about two weeks as Whitmore told them that transportation of the big evac-sub that he gave to the Navy took time and care without the German U-boats noticing, though there hasn't been much U-boat activity as of late, especially after the recent 'Black May' for the Kriegsmarine. Allied codebreakers in Bletchley Park tapping into the German Enigma codes, farther ranges of search aircraft narrowing places for the subs to hide in the vast areas of the ocean, and Allied advancements in anti-submarine warfare had turned the tide in the Battle of the Atlantic and the Germans were losing now more subs than they could build in numbers to truly maintain their threat in the Atlantic.
All the same, it took two weeks before it got to New York City, within a secret area of land and harbor that Whitmore bought, and Packard went to strip the navy stuff with Steve's help, taking another week as they knew that even if the U.S. Navy is good, it's still a risk as it would have led the way again to Alantis, yet in the meanwhile, the others went to do their personal business, starting with Sweet.
Sweet, knowing that his parents would have questions and such, had asked Steve for a sketch of Nola like how Steve saw her back then before the departure in the narwhal vehicle, and to his joy and happiness, the sketch was perfect, embodying Nola in her healer robes and beauty. He folded it and kept it really close to his heart.
Anyway, since Sweet knew that his parents preferred simplicity yet supported medicine advancement here and there, he used the train to a spot some distance away from the reservation village in Oklahoma/Kansas, and then rode a horse then, hoping that his mother, Jerika Sweet, and his father, Moses Sweet, would love Nola from his stories as much as he loves her in real life.
Sweet took a deep breath when he arrived at the homestead. It had been quite a while since he had last saw them. Had it been somewhat before the whole Atlantis journey or even longer than that? Hell, he even somewhat forgotten the last time he had really talked with them by phone or letters: being in Axis territory tended to make one a bit more isolated than most during war.
He knew that Whitmore has been sort of keeping tabs on his folks, saying that they are in good health and all, and he's relieved, as he knew that his mother tends to be anxious at times even if his father is there at her side, firm in his belief that their son would preserve through anything.
He got off his horse, patting his side gently, smiling as he heard the faint sound of clothes rustling on the clothesline, the smell of herbs and flowers in the air, the lull of crows squawking upon a scarecrow in a small crop of corn, and for the hundredth time, he wondered if his parents would even think about leaving this place if they would want to live a long time to see their grandchildren grow up in Atlantis.
He heard the faint sound of the mules working on the small crop of wheat by his father, hearing his voice command the mules, and then the front door opened to reveal his mother in her apron, flour on her arms, a towel on her shoulder, the faint smell of fresh bread, her eyes widening with tears, whispering, "Jojo?", her nickname for her darling son.
"Hey, Ma...", Sweet gave a small smile as she walked up and wrapped her arms around him tight. "Oh, my son...", his mother sobbed.
"Sorry I probably made you worry so many nights, I'm sure... just... hard to keep in touch where I was a lot of times.", Sweet answered truthfully as he took in the familiar, long-missed scents of his mother.
Jerika Sweet looked at her son, "Have they fed you enough, my son?", and Sweet smiled, "I managed, Ma...I missed you.", hugging her back just as tight yet gentle.
Jerika cradled her son's cheeks, "I missed you too, Jojo! Oh, you must be hungry! I just made fresh bread!", before shouting with a capacity of her lungs as Sweet was amused yet slightly wincing at the volume as his mother might be short, but she's capable of many things, "Moses, get the mules settled! I'm getting lunch on the table!".
He heard his father shout back, "Heard ya!", and Jerika smiled, looking at him, "Why don't you get your horse settled and surprise your father? I'll have some of your favorites on the table, and I expect that you will not refuse extra servings, is that clear?".
"No, of course not...", Sweet chuckled as she smiled and kissed his cheek, "Seriously, you don't know how relieved I am to see you, always puts me at ease when I can easily check on you in less than a minute rather than waiting practically months for news...".
Sweet smiled, "Well, you don't have to wait. You and Poppa are stuck with me for a while, as I got stories to tell.", rubbing the back of his neck, where his silver ring glistened in the sun, catching Jerika's eyes.
"Including the story of your ring?", Jerika asked, noticing that it was clearly on the engagement/marriage ring finger, and Sweet fondly smiled, blushing as he swears that his mother never misses anything, even from days he thought he got away with nabbing a cookie or two from the jar when he was a kid, nodding, "Yes, that too...I'll get back with Poppa after we settle the mules and my horse in.".
Jerika nodded, "Good, and I'll see if I got some good milk for the beverages.", patting his cheek before walking back to the house, and Sweet took the reins of his horse, clicking his tongue as he guided the horse to the barn, seeing the old plow outside of the barn, hearing his father, Moses urging the mules to get into the stalls, and smiled as he walked in, guiding his horse in.
"Hold on your horses, woman! I still got to rub the mules down and I'll be right there in a few minutes!", Moses fussed with a half-roll of his eyes, and Sweet chuckled, "I suppose you don't need my help, Poppa?", causing Moses to freeze.
"Joshie-boy?", Moses turned as Sweet smiled. "Damn it all!", he cursed with a smile on his face. "Don't just show up out of the blue like that, at least give us a heads up that you're coming home... or letting us know that you're alright!".
Sweet chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry, Poppa, wouldn't wait any longer after I landed shortly up north near Washington D.C.", as he put his horse in the third stall that's across from the mules' stalls, taking off the saddle and the bridle.
Moses laughed, "Please tell me that you put your mother up earlier than usual in setting up lunch, if it was you back there!", and Sweet smiled, "She already got the idea in before I asked her, and no, I didn't give her a fright. Probably heard me coming or saw me through a window. But it's good to see you, Poppa...".
Moses smiled and shook his head, "You are still an imp, son! Come here!", and they hugged, with Moses laughing, "You haven't changed much, Joshie-boy, looking good for somebody in the medic tents, and you haven't gotten any taller, thank goodness. It's one thing when I'm taller than your mother, but another thing when you are practically tied with me over height.", letting go as he looked his son over.
Sweet chuckled, "Being busy helped me out in keeping healthy and in good shape. And I reassured Ma that I'm sticking around for a while as I got stories to say.", as he grabbed a towel to rub his horse down, showing off his silver ring once more in the barn sunlight beams.
Moses noticed it as his eyes widened, "Did you...?". Sweet smiled fondly with a sheepish chuckle, "Like I said, it's a long story... and... honestly, you're not going to believe half of it, I assure you.".
Moses hummed, "Son, you know that your mother believes in the Creator, and I, having seen that the Lord is like her Creator, am open-minded, like your mother, and we have plenty of time to listen between lunch and such of how long you are staying here. You're very lucky that your mother was stubborn to keep your old room, through it has been changed slightly thanks to occasional guests.".
Sweet smiled, "I know, Poppa. Let's get the boys rubbed down and fed and watered before lunch gets cold, eh?", and Moses chuckled, "Alright, Joshie-boy.", and so, they went to settle the mules and horse with the decades-old routine that still worked, and then headed back to the house after locking the stall doors, closing the barn doors after bringing into the old plow.
Upon washing hands at the pump nearby, they walked into a room full of smells with a hearty spread of food on the table, and Moses smiled, "Looks mighty good, dear Jerika!", as he sat down, putting away his hat and handkerchief as Sweet put away his saddlebags including his medical bag, joining him, "Wow, Ma, it sure looks delicious!".
Jerika smiled, pouring cold milk into the cups, "Good to know that you got an appetite for this, son.", before putting the pitcher away into the icebox, and sat down, "Start off the prayer, could you, Jojo? Been a long time since ya did...", with a knowing nod.
Sweet smiled, "Okay, Ma.", before grasping his hands and bowed his head like his folks, "Dear Lord, the Creator, and the Great Kings, please bless this food my mother made with all her heart, and bless the earth for growing the food, and bless my whole family with good health. Amen.", wondering if Nola is stubborn with her healer duties still, as she is surely close to 4 months now with the triplets, hoping that they are all healthy.
His folks echoed, "Amen.", and started to eat, with Jerika asking, "I've never heard of the Great Kings before, does it involve this woman you're either engaged or married to?".
"Married.", Sweet said. "I actually have been married; though it was a little different compared to what you two had done or anything you've probably heard of. Like I said though, it's complicated and almost hard to believe.".
"I think we'd believe you.", Moses said. "I mean, what would exactly you gain from making anything up to us?". Sweet replied, "Nothing as it is the truth, honest to goodness truth.", and he ate a bit more, and took a deep breath, "I suppose I'd better start from the beginning.".
Jerika smiled, "The beginning of your story is a wonderful start. Go on, son, we're listening, and we'll understand if some things are classified in a way.", and Sweet smiled, "Thanks, Ma, through I'm free to say things mostly because you two are my parents, and my wife's parents-in-laws, she knows that I have to tell you.", as he is going to keep Hydra and the super soldier serum classified, though he can say about the torture part even if it hurts to tell about it.
"So... I guess the best way is to begin with mentioning that expedition I was a part of in Iceland. Of course, we didn't exactly publish much about what we found, but what was found... was pretty much the best proof of and a real map to the lost civilization of Atlantis.", Sweet started to tell his story.
Moses blinked in shock and surprise, "But the Bible says that it sunk under the sea a millennia ago! Which sea it didn't say, but...truly, you found a map?", as Jerika listened in fascination.
Sweet nodded, "Yeah, though the map wasn't exactly a map, per se, but rather a journal with fairly detailed directions. Of course, we sat on that information for a few years until the war broke out here after Pearl. Basically, most of us on that Iceland mission got swept up in a recruitment and were sent on a mission to actually find Atlantis before the Germans in Intelligence knew that we were aware we had the book.".
Jerika widened her eyes, "How did you get underwater?", and Sweet replied, "It was an incredibly metal amazing craft of a submarine that got us underwater...up front was a huge view window of everything. Swarms of underwater creatures like fishes and such, underwater plants and kelp that grew up tall like pine trees in your people's former home, Ma...".